PAI Partners, a European private equity group, is in talks to buy Asmodee, the French gaming company behind the vastly popular strategy gameSettlers of Catan, according to aFinancial Timesreport.
Asmodee—also known for the diplomatic panda-feeding game Takenoko and train adventure game Ticket to Ride—was bought by another equity group, Eurazeo, for €143 million in 2014. The Financial Times estimates the deal with PAI Partners could amount to €1.2 billion, or about $1.4 billion, including debt.
Under Eurazeo, Asmodee has expanded into international markets, with operations in Europe, North America, and China. Its revenue grew 17% last year to €442 million.
The new owners are expected to broaden Asmodee’s reach into the digital world, with products in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The company could follow a strategy similar to that of its peers—from Activision Blizzard to Lego—by developing movie or comic franchises to accompany its games.
The deal is expected to close Friday.
